Freetown voters OK district borrowing $903K to revamp school tech system

Freetown voters on Thursday approved the district borrowing $903,000 to upgrade the district’s technology and infrastructure, fixing some of the technical problems that have plagued the district’s computer system and paving the way for use of electronic devices in the future.

Freetown voters on Thursday approved the district borrowing $903,000 to upgrade the district’s technology and infrastructure, fixing some of the technical problems that have plagued the district’s computer system and paving the way for use of electronic devices in the future.

The matter will go before Lakeville voters on July 16. If approved by Lakeville, it will go on the next election ballot in both communities. That ballot vote would authorize the borrowing to be part of a debt exclusion override that was approved more than a decade ago to build a new middle school and renovate the high school.

Superintendent John McCarthy explained to voters at the sparsely attended special Town Meeting that the move in a sense will not cost any more to Freetown taxpayers.

McCarthy further explained what School Committee member Will Sienkewicz emphatically stated on one Internet site: the district refinanced the debt it is paying for the middle school and high school projects.

McCarthy explained that as a result of the refinancing, a Freetown homeowner with a house valued at $250,000 is now paying approximately $19 less per year. If the technology upgrades move forward, that savings would be diminished to $3 per year.

He said if the district instead tried to pay for it through its operating expenses, it would have to lay off 15 teachers.

McCarthy said the current technology infrastructure is 10 years old and breaking down. He said the school’s computer this past year went down for eight days, leading school personnel to contact colleges and persuade them to accept late applications from Apponequet Regional High School students.

McCarthy said changes in Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System requirements in 2014 will require online-based assessments.

He said if the aging hardware is not replaced, it will cost more to replace it at a later time.

McCarthy said the upgrade will make wireless access available everywhere and to all students; it will install network management systems; it will upgrade the districts’ bandwidth for better internet speed; it would invest in a better server; and it would install a network management system.

McCarthy said it would usher in an “anytime, anywhere learning” environment in which students can access the school’s network from home. McCarthy also said that eventually all students will be using and bringing electronic devices to school, such as a tablet, iPad or smartphone. He said 90 percent of students surveyed have access to the Internet at home. He said using the free and reduced lunch program system, the district will identify students that might not have the income for such a device and the school would lend them a device.

McCarthy confirmed that the operating budget would cover the costs to purchase more electronic devices for students to borrow but he said the prices are dropping for them.

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“We assure that no student shall go without this,” he said. “It is about all children having access to education.”

He stressed during the meeting that Middleboro and Acushnet currently are “bring your own device” school districts and many school districts will be following suit.

“Most schools have wireless access and have the ability to log on anywhere,” he said after the meeting. “Our students don’t have it so this gives them the ability.”

The Finance Committee did not approve it and selectmen officially did not take a stand as a board. However, two select board members expressed personal approval.

Selectwoman Jean Fox before the meeting expressed approval while Selectwoman Lisa Pacheco during the meeting called it a wise move, concluding that the district is turning a savings into an important investment.

School Committee member Robert Clark, in a teary-eyed speech, said approving it represents his way of giving back to a district that he once attended.

School Committee member Robert Nogueira mentioned that the district has made strides in recent years, saving taxpayers $400,000 a year by fully regionalizing Freetown and Lakeville schools, reducing class sizes at the elementary school and opening up a Freetown Elementary School computer lab.

He said the district is getting more for less, even though the town finances education at only 1 percent more than the net school minimum mandated by the state.

“Why are you people not supporting children of Freetown and why are you not supporting education,” he asked.